A/HRC/40/9 54. Cuba acknowledged the efforts that Mauritius had made to implement the recommendations accepted during the second review cycle, in particular by means of updating the legal framework, which included the adoption and amendment of various laws. 55. The Democratic Republic of the Congo congratulated Mauritius on its efforts to strengthen democracy, which had helped it to be ranked as the sixteenth most democratic nation in the world. It welcomed the adoption of the National Preventive Mechanism Act and the establishment of the National Preventive Mechanism Division. 56. Denmark noted the importance of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in guiding efforts to achieve gender equality, and of the ILO Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169) in securing and strengthening norms concerning the rights of indigenous peoples. 57. Djibouti congratulated Mauritius on its establishment of the Ministry of Justice, Human Rights and Institutional Reforms and on its ratification of instruments, including the Maputo Protocol. 58. Egypt welcomed institutional reforms and the creation of the Ministry of Justice, Human Rights and Institutional Reforms. It also welcomed the strengthening of the legislative framework to improve living conditions and facilitate access to health care and education, commending the cooperation between Mauritius and United Nations bodies. 59. Ethiopia commended the significant progress made in terms of the infant mortality rate and the under-five mortality rate, immunization coverage and maternal and child health services, including antenatal and postnatal care. 60. Fiji congratulated Mauritius on its comprehensive National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act 2016 and for being the first small island developing State to develop its own early warning system for tide and storm surges. It welcomed the initiatives of the National Environment Fund. 61. France commended Mauritius on the presentation of its report. It took note of the relatively satisfactory human rights situation and the progress made since the second review cycle, especially concerning the rights of women and children. 62. Gabon congratulated Mauritius on the measures taken to empower women, improve citizens’ living conditions and prohibit child labour. It welcomed the amendments made to the Protection from Domestic Violence Act to strengthen victim protection and the related training courses for police officers. 63. Georgia acknowledged the steps taken with a view to boosting women’s participation in politics and encouraged Mauritius to strengthen its efforts to empower women and promote gender equality at all levels. It welcomed the efforts made on child protection and encouraged Mauritius to accelerate those efforts. 64. Germany commended Mauritius on the efforts made to align itself with international human rights standards, as reflected by the Human Rights Action Plan. However, Germany remained concerned about ongoing reports of corporal punishment, and abuse and sexual exploitation of children. 65. Ghana welcomed the enactment of new laws and the amendment of existing legislation, such as the Protection of Elderly Persons (Amendment) Act 2016, the Protection from Domestic Violence Act (Amendment) 2016 and the Social Integration and Empowerment Act 2016. It encouraged Mauritius to implement its social intervention programmes. 66. Guyana congratulated Mauritius for its constructive report. It commended the efforts to ratify or accede to major human rights instruments and the legislation enacted to guarantee the protection of human rights. 67. Honduras acknowledged and welcomed the adoption of legislative measures and policies, particularly the Protection from Domestic Violence (Amendment) Act, the Protection of Elderly Persons (Amendment) Act and the Independent Police Complaints Commission Act. 7